David Bowie crossed more boundaries with Heroes.
Photograph: Steve Schapiro/Corbis

Anaïs Mitchell wrote Why We Build the Wall to raise the question:“Imagine part of the world becomes uninhabitable and there are masses of hungry, poor people looking for higher ground.”In the song’s brooding Americana, Hades asks the heads of the hellhound Cerberus “Why do we build the wall?” Their answer: to stay free; to keep out poverty, the enemy; because we have and they have not. Hadestown’s population lives “free” but in perpetual fear and with a wall for scenery. What a limit on their imagination, such constrained lives, propagating the status quo, averting development. All obstacles of their own making.

If they are to thrive, the folk of Hadestown could do with the life, irresistible love and generosity of heart expressed in the gospel stylings of Diana Ross’s Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.

Equally full of passion and spirit is the Bandwagon’s Breakin’ Down the Walls of Heartache. It chips away at those sorrowful walls to a northern soul beat and rebuilds with love.

Even more uplifting is the anthemic Philly Soul of McFadden and Whitehead’s Ain’t No Stopping Us Now. They “refuse to be held down anymore”, although they aren’t sure of where the road will lead them. Of course, it’s also about the expectation that the barriers of racial prejudice are finally being surmounted.

A decade earlier than Ain’t No Stopping Us Now, the evil of racial prejudice had made Syl Johnson write, Is it Because I’m Black? A passionate southern soul song of anger and vulnerability, ambition and incomprehension at the barriers erected due to skin colour.

Sadly, 30 years on, the same ire and perplexity can be heard in Leena Conquest & Hip Hop Finger’s jazzy funk as they question the concept of the Boundaries we create to separate ourselves from each other. “Whose land is it anyway?” she asks after quoting Woody Guthrie and referencing Marvin Gaye. Whose land, indeed?

In complete contrast, Adrian Borland’s obstacle wasn’t anyone or anything; he wanted to shake off his own skin. As part of The Sound he sang, I Can’t Escape Myself. Yet maybe music was his therapy, the aid to help him overcome his depression – that impediment to a “normal” life. He deserved more understanding.

And do we understand the hopelessness of the lovers carrying out an act of reckless bravado in David Bowie’s Heroes? They kiss by the Berlin Wall, taunting the guards, who shoot overhead. Bowie presents it as a futile gesture against the obstacle of an oppressive regime.

But what if Bowie’s lovers had gone Over the Wall? Echo and the Bunnymen’s song could mean anything but suggests that overcoming one obstacle would leave them miserable, confused by their new world, mystified by the freedom to go coast to coast, leaving them seeking solace in each other.

“Double misery” is broached in Tony Allen’s song Boat Journey. Its edgy afro-beat and lyrics urges migrants to turn back because the ocean is wide and the situation is “not so cool” there. Physical obstructions then give way to legal and cultural hurdles. If you’re lucky to arrive, you’ll need more luck to be allowed to stay.

To return Why We Build the Wall, I’m sure there are many leaders who would adopt it as their theme song. I can also imagine certain European leaders gleefully and ungainly trying to whoop it up to Little Richard’s lyrics and joining in as he taunts: “You Keep a Knockin’ but you can’t come in.”

How to fight back against bricks so thick, power so strong? Well, creating awareness like the Reclaim the Streets movement is one way. Roadblock by Stock Aitken Waterman is (surprisingly) the infectious funk that reminds me of that happy carnival atmosphere.

Lastly, Crowded House sing melodically about an ordinary person facing battles, setbacks and endless obstacles. It asks us not to be apathetic. “Don’t let them build a wall between us. Don’t let then win. Don’t Dream it’s Over.”

This week the glorious Guardian Readers Recommend blog is 10 years old. Readers and contributors are meeting up in King’s Cross, London, this Saturday 19 September for a celebration from 1pm-7pm. If you haven’t yet received details and would like to come, please email peter.kimpton@theguardian.com